RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, May 21: Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who is himself in controversy following the issuance of a stone mining lease in his name at Angara in Ranchi and the involvement of his close relatives and friends in the business of mines misusing his official position, warned the officials of the mining department on Saturday against illegal mining.
The CM during a meeting with top bureaucrats and IPS officers said that he will not tolerate illegal mining be it major or minor and made it clear to the officials that checking the pilferage of minerals is their responsibility.
He said he will also constitute a state special team to stop illegal mining and ensure keeping a close watch at every level. He directed the officials to take the complaints of illegal mining seriously.
Directing officials to issue a toll-free number for receiving complaints related to illegal mining, he said action in the case of illegal mining is a must.
“If you get complaints about illegal mining by any means, then make sure to take action on those complaints under the mining rules. Illegal mining increases the chances of accidents. Many times such information is received that people are being buried inside the tunnels in illegal mining areas,” the chief minister said.
Soren on the occasion also directed the officials to accident-prone mining sites and demolish them. He informed officials about the complaints suggesting theft of coal during its transportation and dumping of the stolen coal at various places on the road and railway routes and asked them to take care of it.
The chief minister, on the occasion, directed DCs and SPs of all the districts to ensure strict action against illegal mining by running a special campaign from June 1 to June 15. He also directed them to install CCTV cameras in mining areas and check posts.
The CM also directed to stop the over-mining of sand from the rivers. Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh, DGP Neeraj Sinha, principal secretary to CM Rajiv Arun Ekka, Secretary to CM Vinay Choubey, ADG CID Prashant Singh and many officers were present at the meeting.
